Sir Aurel Stein's Kashmir Legacy

Celebrate Sir Aurel Stein’s Kashmir Legacy

To call Kashmir heaven on earth is to belittle it. In fact, it is the sum total of all heavens”, said the famous sage Swami Abhedananda just a century ago.

Sir Aurel Stein called Mohandmarg’ his ‘own little kingdom’, It is a verdant alpine grazing ground hidden in the mountains to the north of Srinagar about 25 kilometers along the road to Leh. Stein first arrived in Srinagar on June 8, 1888 and with that began his lifelong love with history. He proved his devotion to history by editing and translating Kalhana’s chronicle the Rajatarangini; in his reconstruction of the ancient geography of Kashmir by on the spot investigation he made his debut as a historical topographer. Stein says “How grateful I must feel to the kindly ‘fate’ which allowed me to do so much of my work in Kashmir for the last fifty five years.”

Mohandmarg is an ideal virgin meadow to discover and to enjoy when it is awash with alpine flowers like many specifies of Primulas, Gentiana in summer and scented with Blue Pine and Deodar trees. Views of the meadow offer a stunning mountain beauty.

On your visit to MohandmargIndus discoveries will be your ‘camp-retainer’. It will take care of all arrangements to let you be our privileged ‘Stein’ and we assure you that your holiday will be a tale for the children of your grandchildren! Or simply, one more page in the book that celebrates the Kashmir legacy of the Great Pioneer.

Cover image of Sir Aurel Stein, courtesy of The British Library

When to go

The Itinerary

Best time to travel to Mohandmarg is from June to early September

Day 1 SRINAGAR

MALOOD PAAS

LAAL MARG

Trek

MOHANDMARG

KAINDLAU

JABBAD

Drive

BRARI PRATHRI

Camp site ANDERWAN

YAARMUQAAM SRINAGAR

Arrive Srinagar. Transfer to houseboat/hotel or Almond Villa. Afternoon Boat ride on Dal or Nagin Lake.

Day 2 SRINAGAR

Day 5 MOHANDMARG Trek to Mohandmarg. Stay in Tented Camp.

Day 6 MOHANDMARG Day visit to Lal Marg or Kaindlau.

Day visit of the Neolithic site of Burzhama, Buddhist monastery of Harvan, Shalimar Garden, Nishat Bagh and Pari Mahal.

Day 7 SONAMARG

Day 3: SRINAGAR

Day 8 SRINAGAR OR KARGIL

Day visit of Gulmarg. Cable car ride in Gulmarg, or Boat ride on river Jhelum (seasonal) and a heritage walk in the old city of Srinagar.

Day 4 BRARI PATHRI

Drive to Anderwan village and walk to Brari Pathri where you will camp among the mountain communities along the banks of Nalla Satvas.

Trek to Yarmuqam and transfer to Sonamarg.

Overnight at the hotel.

Transfer to Srinagar airport for your home bound flight or for an extension tour to Ladakh.

Ladakh extension tour is available on request.

Indus Discoveries offers tailormade holidays, special interest tours and Alumni Travel services for Universities and educational travel community.

The Cost: Per person sharing twin or double room accommodation: From Rs 36000.00 Cost Includes: • Accommodation in sharing twin or double room with private facilities. Tented camp accommodation.

• All meals.

• Transfers and sightseeing arrangements by private car.

• Services of our representative.

• Services of an expert trekking guide.

• Entry fee for monuments and places of interest.

Not included: • International or internal air fare • Travel Insurance • Tips and gratuities

BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES E: kashmirandladakh@indusdiscovereis.com T: +91 194 2313008 We offer tailor-made holiday services for Kashmir & Ladakh, beyond the ordinary for leisure, soft adventure and corporate clients.

Contact us for your dream holiday.

Sir Aurel Stein (1862–1943) Sir Aurel Stein is one of the most important archeologists of the 20th century. His expeditions along the Silk Road discovered the “Caves of the Thousand Buddhas” at Dunhuang in China, as well as lost oasis towns in the Tarim Basin. The objects he excavated and collected are divided between the National Museum, New Delhi; the British Museum, London; and SPS museum Srinagar.

But for more than 50 summers, Stein retreated to the meadows of Kashmir to recuperate from his travels and to write up his expedition reports. Inspired by the work of scholar S.N.Pandita on this littlediscussed aspect of Stein’s life, Yasin M. Zargar of Indus Discoveries embarked on a 5 year project to pay tribute to this great scholar and erect a new memorial stone at Mohand Marg to commemorate Stein’s exceptional achievements. The memorial stone, a triangular based column has been inscribed in English, Urdu, and Sanskrit The stone was installed in Mohandmarg in December 2018 following an International Conference on Sri Stein held at University of Kashmir.

Images courtesy of The British Library

Indus discoveries have commissioned a memorial stone as a tribute to sir aurel stein and his explorations of India, and contributions to indian society

Indus Discoveries Pvt. Ltd Gogji Bagh -Amar Singh College Road- Srinagar Kashmir T: +91 194 2313008 E: kashmirandladakh@indusdiscoveries.com

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